Wednesday, 1 June 2022

In Uvalde, a procession on grief begins. Plus, Richard Engel shares an update on his son with special needs. Here's the latest.

June 01, 2022 | VIEW IN BROWSER

Your day starts here. The latest in news, pop culture, wellness and more.

Hundreds gathered at the funeral for a 10-year-old Uvalde shooting victim, a procession of mourning that will take place in the town over the next two weeks. Plus, college athletes spoke to us about the mental health crisis in the wake of multiple suicides, and London gears up for a four-day celebration of Queen Elizabeth's 70-year reign.

THE LATEST

Uvalde buries Amerie Jo Garza, 10, in the first funeral since the mass shooting.

Hundreds of mourners said goodbye to fourth grader Amerie Jo Garza yesterday in the first funeral for the 21 students and teachers killed in last week's mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. A service was also held later Tuesday for Maite Rodriguez, also 10, at a Uvalde funeral home. Nineteen more funerals are planned for the next 2½ weeks. Also, a trauma surgeon who helped save the lives of four other people wounded in the shooting, including three children, spoke with us about the ordeal. "All of our patients are improving, which brings joy to us," he said.

👑 Queen Elizabeth's 4-day Platinum Jubilee starts tomorrow. Here's what's in store, and why it's significant.

A four-day celebration honoring the 70-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II gets underway tomorrow, with millions expected to attend. Elton John, Lin-Manuel Miranda and others will perform outside Buckingham Palace. Thursday will feature the Trooping of the Colour, marking the queen's official birthday, followed by a family balcony appearance — though Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and Meghan will not be there. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at all the preparation for the pageantry and pomp, culminating with a parade of more than 10,000 on Sunday. The queen's schedule has not been confirmed yet, as mobility issues may limit her attendance, but these are the events she's likely to attend in person.

Richard Engel shares a heartbreaking update about his son with special needs.

The NBC News chief foreign correspondent shared that his son Henry, 6, has "taken a turn for the worse." Henry, who was born with a variation of Rett syndrome, a rare genetic disorder with no cure, has been in the hospital for six weeks. Engels tweeted that the young boy has developed dystonia, an uncontrolled shaking and stiffness, but he is now at home, where his younger brother, Theo, 2, has been there to give him hugs. "Thank you everyone for all the kind messages, from Henry, our Mr. Handsome," he tweeted with a cute picture of Henry.

College athletes talk about the mental health crisis in the wake of multiple athlete suicides.

A group of five college athletes spoke with us about the pressures and mental health struggles they have faced while juggling an athletic career with the demands of school. The suicides of four female college athletes in recent months have put a renewed spotlight on the issue. The parents of four college athletes who died by suicide gathered on TODAY to share how the issue has impacted their lives in the hope of helping others. And for parents of college kids, here's how to navigate tough and awkward conversations with them about the issue.

LIFE HACK

Achieve your life goals with this easy tip.

Sometimes something as simple as a regular 20-minute walk can change your whole day. Summer is the perfect time to get outside and get moving, so if you're looking to get back into a daily walking routine, we have a 30-day walking plan that will help boost your mental health and jumpstart any weight-loss goals. The plan starts with making 20-minute daily walks a habit and then adds some strength training and tips. Join us on the START Today Facebook group for daily tips and motivation.

WHAT'S FOR DINNER?

Allow us to do the meal-planning for you.

Jet Tila's family was one of the first to introduce classic pad Thai to the U.S. nearly 50 years ago, and now the celebrity chef and cookbook author is sharing his recipe with a few twists. The recipe is easy, but it's all about patience when cooking the noodles to get them to marry with the other ingredients. Tila also shared his recipe for panang chicken curry, including a pro tip about how to properly handle coconut milk.

DAILY DELIGHT

A little pick-me-up before you go.

Dwayne Johnson had "the best prom date ever" for a prom he didn't even know he attended. The "Jumanji" star reshared some photos on Instagram of a high school student named Mel who took pictures of herself in a prom dress with a cardboard cutout of Johnson. "Thank you @therock for taking me to prom," Mel wrote. "I had so much fun. Best date a person could ask for." Johnson replied that the "honor" was all his, and that it was "great to meet your family and friends too!"